How to Interest Millennials in Insurance Careers

May 1, 2015

  • May 4, 2015 at 2:51 pm
    Agent says:
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    The problem is there are so many Millennials who really don’t want to work hard to become a success. They want the big salary, the benefits and will not put in the blood, sweat & tears that it takes. My guess is many who are hired will be desk jockies and not agents. If a young man is brought into the agency by Daddy, he will think he has it made until the problems show up. I know several personally and they aren’t into beating streets or building the agency unless they are trying social media which may or may not work for Personal Lines.

  • May 5, 2015 at 12:15 pm
    Ex-Underwriter says:
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    • May 5, 2015 at 12:34 pm
      Agent says:
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      Hey Ex, I have first hand experience with Millennials trying to make producers out of them. They just don’t have the work ethic we did when we started out in this business. I gave them every tool, training, referred business to them and they still couldn’t cut it. That is why most go into companies instead of agencies. A Millennial probably replaced you.

      • May 8, 2015 at 11:37 am
        Millenial says:
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        • May 8, 2015 at 12:52 pm
          Agent says:
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          Millenial, which slot are you in? Could I hazard a guess that you are not a Producer on the street with an agency who has to sell to make a living? Yes, I made a mistake with the hires I made to be Producers. That is why Millenials are more suited to companies in other roles. I learned my lesson well and don’t plan to hire any more. To be successful at this business, a young man cannot have fear of rejection, has to learn how to cold call, develop trust and then present something to the prospect that will win them over and get their signature on the bottom line and a check.

  • May 11, 2015 at 2:29 pm
    YoungUW says:
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    How to interest Millenials in insurance?? Easy, the same way to get them interested in any other career path. Show them that there is good money to be made, decent hours, and a relatively understandable path to success.

    In my experience the hardest part of getting Millenials interested in insurance is the blantant misunderstanding of the topic. When most people think of Geico when they think of insurance we have gone wrong. I am a Millenial working in insurance. What peak my interest? The fact that there was more to insurance than just auto and home owners insurance. Sitting a young individual down and showing them the potential is all that it should take.

    • May 11, 2015 at 4:22 pm
      Agent says:
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      YoungUW, you are obviously a company employee which is where you should be at this point. By the way, I sat two young individuals down, showed them the potential, gave them the tools, trained them and they just didn’t want to pay the price to be successful. Sales offers the highest potential for income in the industry, but you have to be a different type of individual who will go the extra mile, do the extras to put business on the books. The Millenials are suited to company positions where they are order takers and processors and typically not very creative.

  • May 14, 2015 at 3:17 pm
    jtownagent says:
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    These generalizations about any generation are shameful. I am a babyboomer. The generations before me thought we were a bunch of slackers too. At one point we were ALL a butch of hippies, rock-and-roll lovin, pot smokin, driking no-good-nick rebels that didn’t want to participate in society, moving to Canada to avoid a war,and take no responsibility for anyone but ourselves. Move forward 40 years and now we are getting ready to retire and it is time for us to make way for the next generation. Give them a chance and do not stiffle their ways, creativity, and listen to what is important to them in the work place. They have a choice to where they work. We do not own them anything and they do not owe us anything, but give them a chance. The greatest thing about sales (in any field) is that if one works hard, they get rewarded, and the customer/client ultimately is the one that determines if the salesperson gets paid and is worth their salt. Many will fail, many will succeed. That is what happens to salespeople. Those that fail will end up in other positions and occupations. Please stop lableing an entire generation. Insurance is a great career. Top salespeople of any generation will do fine in this industry.

    • May 14, 2015 at 4:56 pm
      Agent says:
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      Whose making generalizations about this generation? I speak from experience with actual young Millenials. They are best suited to work in company positions where they don’t have to sell for a living. The only ones I have seen in sales in insurance are the ones daddy brought into the agency for perpetuation. They are given a book to service so they will have an income, but they add little to the growth with new sales. They basically are waiting for daddy to retire or die and inherit.

      • May 18, 2015 at 9:52 am
        Ron says:
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        Agent,

        YOU are the one making generalizations about an entire generation.

        You said, “By the way, I sat two young individuals down, showed them the potential, gave them the tools, trained them and they just didn’t want to pay the price to be successful. Sales offers the highest potential for income in the industry, but you have to be a different type of individual who will go the extra mile, do the extras to put business on the books. The Millenials are suited to company positions where they are order takers and processors and typically not very creative.”

        THAT is a generalization. Any other questions?

        • June 15, 2015 at 10:11 am
          Agent says:
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          Ron, at one time, you were a young guy in this business. You were not suited for sales then and aren’t now. Millenials are more suited to a desk job, not sales production. The only young millenials I see on the agency side have been brought in by Daddy to take over some day and few are productive producers.

  • June 12, 2015 at 3:39 pm
    Bob Fancher says:
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    Agent and ex underwriter whatever. Millennial generation has seen different treatment of their parents and other colleagues. We cannot generalize what they will do, but understanding why they want a firm commitment before they commit can be certainly understood. They will work hard when they know they are appreciated and the risk of getting thrown under the bus for no individual reason is lessened. There is no defined benefit pension to keep anyone anywhere anymore. They know they have to work hard to get a lot. But they do not want to put in 5 years hard work at a somewhat maybe middle of the road market driven wage, and get bumped out before they get their true worth. You want a good one. You need to show them how to win and they will win. They all want to get the prize whether it be house car and family or high position job. The companies want value immediately – what is so wrong with them looking for the same thing! I have four Millennials making their way. They are all different. But it would be fair to say they have less trust in any industry than my father did and they have heard me talk as well as my colleagues and their friends. It is a different world and they do not want to be “taken” for a ride.

  • February 26, 2017 at 8:56 pm
    Trent Hunt says:
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    Keep running and operating your agency the way you did for the last twenty years and I guarantee your will not attract the millennial talent pool. There are some talented individuals out there that can sell. They are a bit of a minority for they are the ones who can actually look you in the eye and hold a conversation with substance. Usually ex-athletes who played team sports. Make them take a personality test to see if they have call reluctance. If so, move on for you either have the gene to deal with being told no or you do not. Change the office environment, pitch the ties, promote your brand through logo wear and do it proudly. I have numerous millennials working within our organization who are killing it. I have seen agency owners children have success but the one common trait they seem to share is that they were made to work elsewhere for 3-5 years before joining the firm. Preferably with a carrier, who are much better equipped to train. We have been our own worst enemy over the years in continuing to do the same things internally and externally. Change is good. Just my two cents and you team sport millennials please come see me.



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